Letter: Ringing back the BHS memories

Ringing the bell mounted in the Shunk Tower was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for those of us who graduated from Bucyrus High School in the 50s and 60s. I sometimes reminisce about that experience as a metaphor for my life.

Graduating seniors ringing that bell was a tradition that students anticipated throughout their high school lives. Occasionally, some underclassman would attempt to climb the tower and ring the bell, but those felons suffered a fate more horrendous than a freshman caught walking down the senior sidewalk.

I recall that the final awards assembly in 1962 concluded with graduating seniors marching out of the beautiful auditorium and queuing up for the cherished opportunity to tug on that rope just one time. The bell began to chime, a little feeble at first, but the volume soon reached a crescendo as classmates took their turn.

As I approached the tower I was determined to make that bell ring out like no one had ever heard before. I grabbed the rope and the rope was bigger than I had expected. I gave a mighty pull; actually the momentum of the bell pulled me. I expected to hear a surge in the volume; the sound did not surge, but neither did it diminish. After 109 chimes the old bell went back into hibernation to wait for the class of 63.

I exited the tower thankful for the unique experience, very happy, but just a little disappointed. We only had one chance.

That’s life.

Ken Krock

Huntsville, Texas

Read or Share this story: http://ohne.ws/2e82O9E

From The USA TODAY NETWORK

These sites are part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. Their content is produced independently from our newsrooms.